Now they want me to carry an assault rifle.
Yes, Virginia, charter school co-locations do indeed cause more overcrowding
Well, below are some leaflets MORE has produced for the PEP and when we speak some
Written and edited by Norm Scott: EDUCATE! ORGANIZE!! MOBILIZE!!! Three pillars of The Resistance – providing information on current ed issues, organizing activities around fighting for public education in NYC and beyond and exposing the motives behind the education deformers. We link up with bands of resisters. Nothing will change unless WE ALL GET INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE!
"Now you want to take my school and say Success Academy will give them choice when the choice is PS 138 ... I am a choice too."
No checks, no balances, no levers of power except for the mayor, his chancellor and the principals. The next Mayor had better tread carefully- the public school system is land mined w/ a dozen years of structural changes contradictory and uneven bad policy, and even worse implementation. --- Parent activist Lisa Donlan
DOE can do nothing right acc to Mulgrew; many would agree.You know I don't necessarily buy the "Tweed incompetence" argument, which the UFT often pushes. I think Tweedies are just not interested in making things work in many public schools other than to cover their ass in case something goes wrong.
Well, think about it- how CAN a highly-centralized ( removed) administration charged w/ overseeing 1750 schools in 1200 buildings w/ 80,000 teachers and more than a million students get anything right when it comes to actual implementation?Lisa Donlan
Especially when authority is relegated to " empowered" principals of stand-alone schools w/ no supervisors?
How can the administration even know, never mind monitor or supervise, how policy is being implemented?
As we all have seen, the promise of mayoral control = total control in exchange for accountability, revealed itself quite quickly as unfeasible- even impossible.
After centralizing and trying a top-down, one-size-fits-all edict-based administration for 2-3 years, Klein pulled a complete 180 in 2006-07 and implemented a crazy quilt of bureaucracy based on empowered principals (total autocrats) and their virtual hidden bureaucracies (SSO's, now CFN's) w/ essentially no supervision beyond unaudited self -completed compliance check lists and review by not much more than test score.
While principals and their Network Leaders seem to operate in a total vacuum, they still must respond to plenty of top down mandates.
For instance the safety protocols that mandate safety- fire and lock down- drills' (See how that is working out, here: Police were called to an East Harlem school that had conducted a ‘shooter’ lockdown drill. Times and here: http://horanwatch.tumblr.com/
Or the Teacher Evaluation Pilots that schools are implementing willy nilly, whether or not they are in the pilot, and in an "anything goes" unchecked manner, described below by Mulgrew and Mendel.
Or the special education reforms (I was not able to link to the story Ellen posted but I am sure it is an object lesson in the abuse of power by certain principals trying to meet an impossible top down imposed but unfunded mandate that is unmonitored and unsupervised.)
No checks, no balances, no levers of power except for the mayor, his chancellor and the principals. The next Mayor had better tread carefully- the public school system is land mined w/ a dozen years of structural changes contradictory and uneven bad policy, and even worse implementation.
We regret having tried to fool you into believing we were going to dupe our members into an evaluation system that could not be fair when we endorsed the new evaluation framework which became law. Our internal union elections are coming and we have come to the conclusion that forcing the evaluation system based on bogus student scores and unreliable data will hurt our chances to get re-elected. We are willing to take the heat from the local media as long as we can stay in union office and pull down our salaries and double dipped pensions.Ed Notes has uncovered the real letter Mulgrew wrote to the DOE but never sent. Eterno at ICE posted what he did send, apparently the wrong version found its way into the envelope:
The letter below was sent to the Department of Education by UFT President Michael Mulgrew. It describes the conditions necessary for there to be any future meetings between the UFT and DOE regarding development and implementation for a new evaluation system.
Dear Chancellor Walcott,
The Department of Education’s demonstrated inability to manage the school system correctly has led us to have serious concerns about getting anything constructive done with you. Two and half years ago the state decided to change this year’s standardized tests to the Common Core standards and since then you have done nothing to create a curriculum based on the Common Core. You have now left teachers in a horrendous situation where they are scrambling to try to get material appropriate for these new tests to teach their children.
Additionally we realize we have made an egregious error in ever believing that you would seriously evaluate our teachers in a fair manner. We regret having tried to fool you into believing we were going to dupe our members into an evaluation system that could not be fair when we endorsed the new evaluation framework which became law.
Our internal union elections are coming and we have come to the conclusion that forcing the evaluation system based on bogus student scores and unreliable data will hurt our chances to get re-elected. We are willing to take the heat from the local media as long as we can stay in union office and pull down our salaries and double dipped pensions.
Given this history, at this time we will only meet with you to discuss a planning and roll-out process for the new evaluation system — in case we ever get to such an agreement. We understand that an evaluation system that will create a constructive practice in each school that will enhance instruction and benefit our over 1.1 million students is a critical opportunity. An evaluation system that will change the culture of our schools is something that the UFT has been working on for over three years. We hope that you will not be party to wasting such an important opportunity. We await your communication to set up such a meeting on the planning and roll-out process for the benefit of our children and our schools.
Sincerely,
Michael Mulgrew
UFT President | |||||||||||||||
United Federation of Teachers • A Union of Professionals
52 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 • 212.777.7500 • www.uft.org |
jimschachter My response was:@jimschachter
Are the problems of the UFT's East NY Charter School proof unions shouldn't run schools? http://www.schoolbook.org/2012/12/19/union-run-charter-school-in-fight-for-survival …@SchoolBook@WNYC
Norm Scott But, alas, the UFT/AFT/Randi crew have cast in their lot with charters by running one in a public school building, which pretty much takes that dog out of the big fight, leaving them to provide minor assistance to what turns out to be a losing battle without any big guns to stand up to the charters.@NormScott1
At Monday's PD, we were visited by Educators4Excellence. For your consideration, it is funded by Bill Gates [see article]. This is an interest group advocating a political agenda.People at the school want more info on E4E. If you have some stuff to share leave the link in a comment and I'll send the info along.
May 22, 2011
Behind Grass-Roots School Advocacy, Bill Gates
By SAM DILLON
Bill Gates' foundation pays educators to pose alternatives to union orthodoxies regarding seniority and test scores.
To David Rosenberg, Shanda! Shame on you for such a paranoid rant. If you had nothing of which to be guilty, those words would have rolled off your back.... Karen Lewis
a town like Sandy Hook would laugh at the very idea of a TFA 6 week wonder teaching their kids.I kvell at the growing relationship between Karen Lewis and Diane Ravitch. Today Karen, who let me remind everyone, came straight out of a high school chemistry classroom to lead the CTU, comes to Diane's defense over the loose cannon attacks by a TFA slimeball named David Rosenberg -- (not cousin David Rosenberg, thank goodness, who is also my accountant). I wonder of TFA leadership is bummed that the Sandy Hook teachers are AFT and not one of them is a TFA ---and we know why -- a town like Sandy Hook would laugh at the very idea of a 6 week TFA wonder teaching their kids.
Diane, et. al.
I have read these posts (alas I do not do Twitter), and I am struck by the lack of authenticity by the Rosenberg comment. Diane has been at the forefront of the desire to lift up the beleaguered profession of teaching in each and every post. She has drawn the connections between people who wouldn't think of sending their children to public schools and their policies that are destroying the common good. Anyone who doesn't know that in the marrow of their bones, doesn't read her blog.
On the other, the educrats who do not agree with her, read her posts, too so as to keep abreast of her thoughts and are ready to pounce if they see an opening. There might have been a time where "politicizing" tragic events, especially mass shootings was thought to be in poor taste. That has changed with the 24/7 news cycle that continues to focus far too much time and energy on the perpetrator of the massacre than that of our precious victims. Rosenberg's "false outrage" needs to be checked. That same false outrage should show itself when policies his colleagues support kill and disenfranchise children from schools across this nation. We in Chicago have been the victims of their experiments on our children since the current secretary of Education "ran" CPS.
The accolades heaped on a group of education missionaries, (hopefully with beautiful intent on the part of the TFA teachers) cannot go unchallenged. Diane does that. Day in and day out, she champions rank and file educators and the hard work they do. She has a special place in heart for those who see the value of the classroom and not as stepping stone to a more lucrative career or the opportunism of self-promoters like Michelle Rhee who, with her lies about her own classroom experience has catapulted herself into the welcoming arms of those who hate unions, tenure and anything else that provides due process and gives teachers real voice.
To David Rosenberg, Shanda! Shame on you for such a paranoid rant. If you had nothing of which to be guilty, those words would have rolled off your back.
Indications there will not be a deal by the deadline.Well, I took another shot at attending a UFT Executive Board meeting tonight in the hope I survive the free dinner. I won't get into which UFT people were saying what but the sense of derision towards Tweedies at the top was rampant.
UFT to Tweed: You know where to find us |
This is for all non-TEP schools (TEP is Danielson Pilot schools). If your school is not in the pilot, please let me know if you have groups of people coming into your rooms to observe or to ask you for your lesson plans, etc. With or without notice. Please respond to this request as soon as possible.They seemed pretty pissed and given this was just an Ex bd meeting of loyalists where they don't have to put on a show, it seemed real.
From South Bronx School |
Asked whether that means the group supports or opposes the concealed-carry expansion, [StudentsFirst spokesperson Ileana] Wachtel said, "We're focused on education reform policies. That's what we do."Students first indeed.
One group that has taken no position on the legislation is StudentsFirst, the education reform group that was started by former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee and that happens to be active in Michigan politics.More at
Asked about its stance, StudentsFirst spokeswoman Ileana Wachtel said, "StudentsFirst believes that schools have to be a safe haven for kids. It is incumbent upon our elected officials to ensure that every single child is protected, particularly those under the care and direction of our public schools."
Asked whether that means the group supports or opposes the concealed-carry expansion, Wachtel said, "We're focused on education reform policies. That's what we do."
Although the group takes no public position on the measure, StudentsFirst's allies in Michigan politics have no problem with concealed carry in schools. Indeed, the vast majority of the Michigan legislators whom StudentsFirst recently endorsed voted in favor of the legislation. Of 22 legislators who received election endorsements from StudentsFirst, 14 supported the bill (all of them Republican), one voted against it (a Democrat), and seven others aren't in office.
I gotta be on the side that's going to get me out of this lousy teaching position.... A new chapter leader who recently was recruited to Unity Caucus.This same person would not support the MORE petition calling for a membership vote on any evaluation deal.
Our children are our most valuable assets ---- Michelle Rhee
For Rhee and her sycophants to call these teachers in Newtown colleagues is not only laughable.... It is vulgar. One of the worst vulgarities I have ever seen. These teachers are career teachers, went into teaching to have a career, a lifetime of education children. Rhee and her ilk stand for everything that is opposite of these.. teachers' belief systems. --- South Bronx School
What can you say about a person who uses an event as unspeakable as the massacre in Sandy Hook to promote her organization ?-- Raging HorseSlimy Michelle Rhee and her slimy Student First didn't miss a beat to jump in on the tragedy. Here is a definition of asset:
A resource with economic value that an individual, corporation or country owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide future benefit.Enough said. One more cartoon to indicate how the world views the expression.
how are we expected to foster an environment in which students can learn, grow, thrive, and set off on positive life-paths when we cannot guarantee basic needs such as their safety?..But events like these also strengthen our resolve to do exactly that -- improve schools for children and thereby improve entire communities.Oh, EXCUSE ME! What happened to your "no excuses"? You mean kids actually have to feel safe to learn? What about kids living in poverty? Do you think they feel safe? Rhee's organization will not skip a beat talking about how the most important factor is judging teachers based on test scores. The "strengthen our resolve" is code for "we won't stop hounding and vilifying teachers and calling for their scores to be published so they can be further vilified." Student First in Connecticut will still be calling for the teachers at the school to be pilloried in public. Maybe they will exempt the ones who gave their lives for the children.
Once the media horror dies down about Soto and her co-workers’ sacrifices, I guarantee you this: public school grade school teachers will go right back to being the despised class. “Union thugs.” “With three-month vacations.” “Teaching kids their ABCs.” All the idiotic, ill-informed, right wing anti-intellectual myths will rev up again as if nothing had happened. And in the meantime the people the Fox pundits despise will go on teaching kids to read and do math and treat each other with respect.
by Chris Clarke
Victoria Soto, age 27, apparently died yesterday while trying to get her students into a safer spot in their classroom at Sandy Hook. She stood between the murderer and her students, and he killed her.More-
This is Soto right here.
[Updated to add: Andrew Revkin shares more on Soto's colleagues Kaitlin Roig and Maryrose Kristopik: "Kaitlin Roig locked her students in the bathroom and kept them safe, while Victoria Soto was trying to do the same when she came face-to-face with the gunman and was shot, execution style. Maryrose Kristopik barricaded her music students in a closet, while the gun man fought to get in." Roig and Kristopik survived, thankfully.]
I spent a little time thinking about Soto and her colleagues this morning. I’ve known quite a few grade school teachers over the years. Until 2009, I was married to one. And I realized as I was thinking about Soto that there’s not a single one of those grade school teachers I’ve known, my ex- emphatically included, who I could imagine doing anything but jumping between the gunman and his or her students.
Defending Our Schools
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There are 3500 agency fee UFT members, people who refuse to join the union but must pay dues since NY State is not a right to work state.That's a surprising number of people willing to give up basic union rights. Imagine if NY were a right to work state. If you think the right wing won't be coming to NY State at some point pushing right to work laws after their victory in Michigan you are not living in the real world. I know that we will probably not see a Republican legislature but they will probably focus on just the teacher union and might get some good play. Think of appeal to newer teachers of right to work laws when they have to pay the same dues as people making double what they are. Can't you just see the astro turf groups like E4E jumping on that bandwagon?
I was on the picket line in 68 but I also saw both sides of the issue and both were wrong. Peter said that the UFT strike in 68 created a break with the black community. There is no one anywhere in NYC who wouldn't agree with that. Even see the Kahlenberg bio of Shanker. Abe Levine distorted the issue when he said the UFT struck only over due process when we all know part of that strike was to kill community control -- whether you agree with comm cont or not, Abe is lying when he made it seem that wasn't a factor.Here was my last comment where I try to connect the Ford Foundation early version of ed deformers with today's crowd attempting to paint the UFT as the enemy of the black community on education.
19 teachers were transferred without due process and the UFT claims it went on strike for 3 months over that issue. Now when due process rights of most NYC teachers are violated every 5 minutes your UFT/Unity caucus leaders lie down like dogs. Have fun defending them.
Right mg. "Peg" is here to distract people over the UFT refusal to allow a vote on what will be a major change in the contract, as even Leroy Barr said was required. And cold warrior Abe Levine would re-invade Vietnam tomorrow. Here are some thoughts which I will post on Ed Notes so feel free to comment there.
The reso supporting the NAACP position on the specialized HS came out of a great discussion of that issue at a MORE meeting earlier this year. The UFT modified it and there were some back and forth discussions over coming to a joint agreement. So I do want to make this point that Unity and MORE were on basically the same page here and Peter was chosen to motivate it.
I agree that Peter didn't need to go back to 68 in his speech and in fact I don't hold the same exact view he and a portion of the left holds on the strike. (For your info I am a MORE capitalist).
Luckily MORE, unlike Unity Caucus, is a democratic org where we can openly discuss issues (come to our meeting on Saturday to see the difference from Unity).
But since we're in this space, I will chime in with a few thoughts that might make connections between issues like the evaluation and the 68 strike.
I'm part of the conspiracy theory crowd that feels certain forces at the time -- with many of the very same views today's ed deformers hold -- probably the same people -- the "liberal" Ford Foundation at the time -- were out to create a split between the power of the UFT and the black community and they succeeded royally. Note today that their descendents are using different terminology to split the union away by using the charter school wedge. The UFT fell for it then (do you think that working something out about the 19 transfers just might have led to a better outcome?) and has fallen for so much of it now by actually agreeing with so much of the ed deform program makes for an interesting study. They are boxed in and fear treading the delicate line if they take an out and out position opposing charters as destroying the fabric of public education. Luckily MORE can do so and will do so.
(By the way, Shanker and I think Ravitch through the years raised issues related to "Balkanization" of the schools if we allowed community control, which is somewhat ironic in that charters have done just that --- boy, how far has Ravitch come -- I now find myself and others walking a line between supporting public ed but under some level of community control, which is the position I believe MORE is working out -- some subtleties involved here. The UFT on the other hand supports mayoral control, partly as a consequence of the 68 community control issue -- the UFT would rather deal with even a Bloomberg than with 32 separate school boards. Thus any calls for an elected school board as the Chicago Teachers Union is doing will be rejected by the UFT -- not only is the leadership anti-democratic internally, but don't want any real parent say in their own local schools, other than making sure their kids do their homework and join the PTA -- note the silence of the UFT over the weak CEC Bloomberg set up, which I am betting makes the UFT happy).
After 68 the UFT leadership was shunned by so much of the communities they alienated. Randi as a break from the Shanker/Feldman era was able to make inroads and Mulgrew responded to Peter by claiming his man of the year title given by the NAACP.
Now just think of what the Joel Klein crowd have done by raising things as the "civil rights issue of our time." And the Waiting for Superman movie. The very goal was to break down whatever ties that have been built. And the UFT is left backpeddling, having never forgotten the outcomes of the 68 strike, still its fatal weakness. If you could ask Shanker if he would do it again, what do you think he would say?
“It’s not the date,” said New York City Charter School Center CEO James Merriman. “It’s the data.”I like it James. "It's not the date. It's the data." Got a great beat and you can dance the charter/DOE tango to it. Really, James Merriman may be the funniest man in America.
The rejection of teacher evaluation requirements also comes from a sector that has sought greater accountability for teachers, principals and schools. In their letter to school leaders, Merriman and Phillips said standardized evaluation rules are not a good fit for charter schools because the schools are held accountable in other ways.
Pubic Charter Schools are the future |
“In traditional schools and districts, which may fail students for years without being closed, prescriptive rules about teacher evaluation may be the best policy available,” they wrote. “It is neither necessary nor appropriate for charter schools.”Of course, James. Charter schools can hire anyone off the street to teach. Why tamper with that?
At the same time as the State Education Department is publicly pressuring school districts to adopt new teacher evaluations by next month, it’s also quietly demanding that charter schools turn in their teachers’ ratings from last year. Charter school advocates are urging most school leaders to ignore the demand, even though state officials have said it’s needed in order to fulfill its Race to the Top plan.
The state is not asking charters schools to adopt the same kind of evaluation system that it wants district schools to. Instead, it wants data from each school showing only that the school evaluate teachers on a four-tiered system — and it wants the actual ratings for teachers, too.
Merriman said the state’s demand is unreasonable because many charter schools don’t necessarily evaluate their teachers based on those guidelines.
“They are, in essence, asking charters to manufacture data that they may not have,” Merriman said.
Funny how the pro-charter schools DFER, Students1st & SFER all push for our schools to have adopt this ridiculous teacher eval system; but don’t say a peep about the fact that the charter schools refuse to adopt it.